Matrix holder for typographical machines



Oct. 3, 1939. R. E. HUTCHINSON MATRIX HOLDER FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1939 Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE Richard E. Hutchinson,

Salem, Ind.,- assignor to Intertype Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a-corporation of New York Application January 9,

I 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in typographical slug casting machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532, granted September 16, 1890, wherein character bearing matrices stored in channeled magazines are released therefrom in response to manipulations of a keyboard and assembled into lines, the lines then being presented in front of a mold in which the type bearing slugs are cast, and the matrices being subsequently transferred to the distributing mechanism of the machine which returns them to the respective channels in the magazine from which. they were released.

More particularly, the present invention relates to what is commonly known as the matrix sorts tray, which is a receptacle which is ordinarily placed on the usual keyboard of the machine for the convenience of the operator in momentarily disposing of matrices removed from lines in course of composition due to errors or oversetting of lines or the necessity of changes therein, thus enabling the. operator to continue his composition and, at some later time, to return l the accumulated matrices in the sorts tray to the magazine in which they belong. it will be un-. derstood that the matrices are of the usual kind employed in machines of the class referred to, each matrix having upper and lower ears or lugs I projecting from the opposite vertical edges thereof and the lower lugs being narrower vertically.

than the upper ones.

Prior to the present invention, various styles of sorts trays have been employed all of which, however, have merely served their intended purpose of permitting the matrices to be stacked edgewise therein so that they might be lifted bodily there.

from by grasping them between the fingers for the purpose of threading them on the usual ribbed second elevator bar for distribution therefrom into the magazines in well known manner. In such manual manipulation of groups of matrices, it frequently happens that a spill results due to slippage of the matrices while holding,

1939, Serial o. 250,030

The object of the present invention is to provide a fabricated matrix holder which by virtue of its'novel design and construction will serve not only for use as'a convenient matrix receptacle but also as a device for retaining a group of matrices stacked'thereih in alinement, preparatory to and during the operation of transferring them from the holder onto the second elevator bar, thus avoiding the necessityof manual lifting or manipulation of the matrices themselves and danger of fspillsf V v A further object of the invention is to provide a matrix holder which will prevent matrices placed therein from tipping over fiatwise or from slipping off the holder, particularly endwise when handling the holder .or carrying it from one place to another should the holder be tilted with the open end facing downwardly.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully-set forth, the features of novelty being pointed out more particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig'. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the device according to the present invention'as used for retaining a group of matrices while passing them on to the usual second elevator bar of a conventional line casting machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the device according to the present invention as it appears when serving as a matrix receptacleron the keyboard tray.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the matrix holder according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of the holder according to the present invention as viewed from the right in Fig. 3 and shows a matrix positioned thereon.

Similar parts are designated by the same characters in the several figures.

The present invention is applicable generally to typographical machines of the class shown and described in the aforementioned patent. As may best be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, it provides a matrix holder in the form of an elongated open frame L-shaped in cross-section and comprising walls I and 3 disposed at right angles and an end wall 2 at right angles to both of these walls, the wall 2 being conveniently formed by a bent .over extension of the wall I and terminating below or clear of the usual toothed notch M of matrices M standing upright on the wall 3. Along the inner face of wall I is suitably secured or otherwise provided a jig strip 4 the edges of which strip constitute matrix aligning and retaining rails, the width of this strip being such as to provide a close sliding fit between the upper and lower lugs 5 and 6 respectively of a matrix as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The thickness of strip 4 is such as to allow an appreciable space or clearance between its inner face and the opposed edges of the matrices when the latter are positioned on the holder with their lugs in contact with the wall I, thus assuring that chips or other matter will not interfere with the proper seating of the matrices against said wall. It will be further seen in Fig. 4 that between the bottom edge I of strip 4 and the matrix supporting surface of wall 3 there is a channel of such width as to permit entry therein of only the narrow bottom lugs 6 of the matrices. This feature has the advantage of preventing the seating of any matrices which might be inadvertently deposited in the receptacle in an endwise reversed or upsidedown position, it being understood that the toothed notches in the matrices must be disposed at the open side of the frame in order to be free for presentation to the second elevator bar of the machine as will be hereinafter explained.

It is advantageous to have the strip 4 wide enough so that its edges engage both the upper and lower lugs 5 and 6 of the matrices whereby the latter will be retained by said strip at a common level whether or not the wall 3 be exactly at a right angle to the wall I, as for example, if the wall 3 should become inadvertently bent from such right angular relation. Moreover, a close fit between the upper and lower lugs 5 and 6 and the rails formed by the edges of strip 4 prevents the matrices from tipping over flatwise or from sliding endwise along the holder should the latter be tilted, especially endwise, as may take place while carrying the holder from one place to another, it being evident that such endwise tilting of the holder will result in the lugs of the matrices cramping and thereby taking a firm locking grip on the aforesaid rails.

The manner of using the receptacle as a sorts tray at the keyboard will be clear from Fig. 2 wherein there is shown a group of matrices M arranged as the operator would stack them (edgewise) in the holder against the end wall 2, the holder lying flatwise on the usual keyboard tray K.

The provision of strip 4 which, by reason of engagement thereover of the upper and lower lugs 5 and 6 of the matrices retains the latter at a common level vertically, and the provision of end wall 2, enables the holder to serve as a device or tool for transferring a group of matrices onto the ribbed second elevator bar 8, (Fig. 1), without manual handling or lifting of the matrices themselves.

The hereinabove described clearance between the end wall 2 and the toothed notch M of the matrices while not essential is desirable because theoperator is thereby permitted to pass the entire matrix group somewhat beyond the receiving end of the elevator bar 8 without danger of the last matrix dropping off the bar when the holder is withdrawn, it being evident that if the wall 2 extended above or across the notch it would then abut against the end of bar 8 so that the matrix adjacent to said wall would be left in such precarious position at the end of the bar as to easily fall off in the event of slight disturbance or vibration.

The manner of using the holder herein d scribed as a device for retaining the matrices during the operation of conveying a group thereof to the second elevator and passing them on to the elevator bar 8 will be understood from Fig. 1 wherein the holder has been bodily lifted from the keyboard by placing the thumb against the outer side of the wall 2 and the index finger against the last matrix of the group. Such grip of the holder and matrices while the latter remain supported on the holder provides a positive safeguard against spills and at the same time assures that the teeth on the matrices are aligned with the ribs on the bar and remain so aligned, thus enabling a smooth and quick transfer of the matrix group to be made.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that a scale 9 graduated in printers ems may be provided at a suitable location, such as along the upper edge of wall I, such scale enabling use of the holder if desired as a convenient hand stick for composing odd lines.

Obviously, the construction of the matrix holder herein disclosed may be varied as to the number, arrangement and shape of the constituent elements without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is to be understood that the invention is limited only insofar as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typographical machine having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar adapted to engage the toothed notches in matrices to support the latter vertically thereon, a portable L- shaped matrix holder adapted while resting on the keyboard to support matrices stacked edgewise thereon in horizontal position against one side wall of the holder and to support such matrices in vertical position while resting against said wall and the other wall of the holder during their manual transfer on the holder from the keyboard to the ribbed elevator bar, and an end wall on the holder providing a clear passage for said bar endwise through the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder. 7

2. In a typographical machine having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar adapted to enter the toothed notches in the upper ends of matrices presented edgewise thereto in aligned relation, a portable L-shaped matrix holder adapted to support matrices stacked edgewise thereon with one side wall of the holder disposed in a horizontal plane and resting on the keyboard and to support such matrices with the other side wall disposed in a horizontal plane while manually transporting the holder from the keyboard to the second elevator bar, means on the first mentioned wall for retaining the matrices in vertically aligned relation, and an end wall terminating clear of the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder to provide free passage of the matrices onto the second elevator bar upon endwise movement of the holder relative thereto.

3. In a typographical machine having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar adapted to engage the toothed notches in matrices presented edgewise thereto in aligned relation, a portable matrix holder having one side wall for supporting matrices stacked edgewise on the holder with said wall disposed flatwise on the keyboard and another side wall for supporting the matrices when the first mentioned wall is disposed vertically, said walls together retaining the matrices in vertical and lateral alignment while transporting the holder manually from the keyboard to the second elevator bar, and an end wall on the holder providing a clear passage for the second elevator bar through the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder upon movement of the holder endwise relative to said bar with the matrices held manually against said end wall.

l. In a typographical machine having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar for re ceiving matrices presented vertically thereto and supporting them by engagement with the toothed notches at the upper ends thereof, a portable L- shaped matrix holder the side walls of which rerespectively provide supports for the matrices in either of two positions of the holder, one of said walls being adapted for assembly thereon at the keyboard of matrices stacked edgewise against said wall with their character bearing edges facing the wall and the toothed notches disposed toward the open side of the holder and the other side wall being adapted to support such matrices vertically for presentation while on the holder to the ribbed second elevator bar, upper and lower rails engageable with the inner opposed surfaces of the upper and lower lugs on the character bearing edges of the matrices for retaining the toothed notches thereof in alignment during their manual transfer from the keyboard to the second elevator bar, and an end wall on the holder providing a clear passage for said bar through the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder upon presentation of the matrices to said bar.

5. In a typographical machine having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar for engaging the toothed notches in matrices presented edgewise thereto with the toothed notches facing upward, a portable L-shaped matrix holder adapted to support matrices stacked edgewise thereon against either side wall of the holder, one wall of the holder having rails engageable with the inner opposed surfaces of the upper and lower lugs of the character bearing edges of the matrices when disposed horizontally on the holder with the toothed notches facing toward the open side of the holder, said rails retaining the matrices against vertical displacement during their transfer from the keyboard to the second elevator bar while resting on the other wall of the holder with their toothed notches faces upward, and one end wall on the holder terminating clear of the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder to provide free passage of the ribbed elevator bar through said notches upon movement of the holder endwise relative to said bar.

6. A matrix holder for typographical machines having a keyboard and a ribbed second elevator bar adapted to enter the toothed notches in the upper ends of matrices presented edgewise thereto in aligned relation, said holder comprising an L-shaped frame providing walls adapted to support matrices resting edgewise thereon in two positions of the holder, one of said walls being adapted to support matrices disposed edgewise thereon at the keyboard with their characterbearing edges disposed horizontally and facing said wall, and the other wall being adapted to support such matrices resting vertically thereon upon manual transfer of the matrices while on the holder to. the ribbed elevator bar, said holder having one end wall terminating clear of the toothed notches in the matrices on the holder to provide free entry of the elevator bar into the notches during said transfer.

7. In a typographical machine, in combination, a keyboard tray, a ribbed second elevator bar, and a portable L-shaped matrix holder for transferring a line of matrices from the keyboard tray to the ribbed elevator bar, said holder having side walls adapted to support matrices resting edgewise thereon in two positions of the holder, one of said walls having rails for retaining the matrices against displacement from the other wall and said holder having an end wall providing a clear passage for the ribbed elevator bar during transfer of the matrices thereto while supported and aligned against both walls of the holder.

RICHARD E. HUTCHINSON, 

